Stretching Exercises
Filed under: Muscle, Trainer — arlene @ 6:01 pm
There is a correct way to perform stretching exercises.
Remember that while stretching may help to alleviate muscular soreness, it can also cause soreness, so easy does it. Start below your threshold if you are unaccustomed to stretching a given muscle group, then work up to your target zone. The guidelines that follow will help you to gain the most benefit from your exercises.
- Warm the muscles before you attempt to stretch them.
- Exercises that do not cause a muscle to lengthen beyond normal may maintain, but will not increase, flexibility.
- To increase flexibility, the muscle must be overloaded (stretched beyond its normal length), but not to the point of pain. Remember, you want to stretch muscles, not joints!
- Exercises must be performed for each muscle group and at each joint where flexibility is desired.
- To protect adjacent joints, make certain the adjacent body parts are stabilized to prevent undesirable movement and are in good alignment to avoid strain.
- Stretch muscles of small joints in the extremities first, then progress toward the trunk with muscles of larger joints.
- Stretch muscles over joints one at a time before stretching at multiple joints simultaneously; for example, stretch muscles at the ankle, then the knee, then the ankle and knee simultaneously.
- If ballistic stretching iPused, precede it with static or PNF exercise.
- Avoid ballistic exercises on previously injured muscles or joints, especially the lower back muscles.
- Avoid passive ballistic stretches unless you are under the supervision of a registered or certified therapist or a trainer.
- If ballistic stretches are used, the bounces should be gentle and probably not exceed 10 percent of the normal static stretch range of motion. Avoid high- risk stretching exercises (see Concept 16).
- For static stretches, use the developmental stretch: stretch until you begin to feel pain, back off slightly and hold the position several seconds, then gradually try to stretch a little farther, back off, hold, etc. The stretch should feel slightly uncomfortable but shouldnot be painful.
- For static stretches, increase the intensity of thestretch slowly, and also decrease it slowly after the hold.
There are certain areas of the body that especially need to be stretched for good health and fitness.
Areas of the body that are most likely to need stretching include the muscles on the back of the legs (hamstrings) in order to prevent soreness, injury in sports, and referred back pain; the muscles on the inside of the thigh in order to prevent back, leg, and foot strain; thecalf muscles in order to prevent soreness and Achilles tendon injuries in jogging/running; the muscles on the front of the hip joint in order to prevent lordosis and backache; the low back muscles in order to help prevent back soreness and pain, as well as back injuries; and the muscles on the front of the chest and shoulders in order to prevent rounded shoulders and limited range of movement in the shoulder joint. The exercises pictured in this concept focus on these body areas.
Certain stretching exercises are good for therapeutic purposes, as well as for fitness.
Stretching exercises can be prescribed specifically to alleviate pain. Usually, the same exercise if done regularly can prevent the condition that originally caused the pain.
